Advantages

Facilitates controlled release

The traditional routes of drug administration are intravenous (injection), per oral (tablet), inhalation (spray), trans dermal (patch), and rectal (suppository). There are also several formulations for administration of pharmaceuticals in the oral cavity. The most common are fast-acting tablets (sublingual), gels and films consisting of various preparations. These platforms vary in technology and are intended for use in different places in the oral cavity, typically the buccal (cheek) and sublingual (under the tongue) mucosa. The formulations are mechanical where the active substance is released by means of pH or dissolution in saliva.

The problem with release

Many of the platforms have issues with controlled drug release and thus problems achieving a repeatable dose. Problems have also arisen in the actual absorbtion where the uptake has been poor.

Regardless of the problems there is a wide-spread consensus that drug administration in the oral cavity has many advantages compared to per oral delivery via the gastrointestinal tract or through the skin.

XtriG – the last piece of the puzzle

With XtriG, NorInvent wants to develop the final piece of the puzzle that will facilitate controlled administration of pharmaceutical substances in the oral cavity. XtriG is based on an innovative technology that could challenge and seriously compete with tablets as the form of administration preferred by the consumer.

The direct uptake to the bloodstream has a number of advantages:

Faster onset

Lower and more exact dosage

Reduced load on organs

Environmental benefits

Faster onset

Administration directly via the mucosa results in a fast uptake of the drug. This means that painkillers, for example, quickly reach their receptors where they are effective. Studies show time to onset of action of 5 to 10 minutes after administration. Time to onset of action is a very important factor in acute cases, such as migraine, anxiety and allergic reaction.

Environmental benefits

The environment benefits from lower dosages since this should result in lesser amounts of pharmaceutical waste reaching our waters via the sewage systems. Today the environmental impact is largely a hidden problem. NorInvent believes that the future will see more environmentally friendly pharmaceutical products.

XtriG could act as a platform for the next generation green medicines. If the detour through the stomach can be avoided then the drug substance does not need to be hardened against the acidic conditions there. Such a substance could theoretically be handled in an ordinary sewage treatment plant and thus solve large parts of the environmental considerations of pharmaceutical waste.

Reduced load on organs

A lower dosage means that a larger portion of the drug is used as desired and internal organs such as liver and kidneys are spared excess amounts of substances. This holds for all cases but in particular for patients with complex treatments over long periods of time.

Lower and more exact dosage

Uptake via the lip also means that the actual dose can be adjusted more exactly. Initial tests indicate that one could reduce the active substance significantly with preserved effect. This is due to the bioavailability being higher compared to uptake via the gastrointestinal tract.

Additional advantages

NorInvent's technology could also mean a shorter path to market, lower cost and risk for development, and the possibility of exclusivity for substances where patents that are about to expire.